Why a Tooth Whitening System?
Why do teeth darken? This is due to the fact that people consume caffeine-containing drinks, smoke, become exposed to antibiotics, and just plain get older. Teeth whitening is an effective way to reverse this process, and is so successful that 95% of persons undergoing the system do verify some improvement. Tooth whitening systems provide a wide spectrum of alternatives, ranging from low-priced whitening strips on the low end to pricey but typically effective professional dental whitening services. There is a great deal of tooth whitening systems accessible currently.
Whitening Strip Method
The next simplest tooth whitening method is the whitening strip system. You place tooth bleaching tape on your front teeth. This tape is flexible, and contains the gel which bleaches the teeth. This is the most comfortable, least expensive, and easiest to utilize tooth whitening technique. This explains the popularity of this technique. However, frequently the outcomes aren't as excellent as those outcomes seen with the tray-based methods or in-office laser tooth whitening systems. Whitening strips can do a nice job of whitening the exterior tooth surfaces, but do a poor job of bleaching the teeth divisions and cracks. A dark division between whitened teeth might appear similar to a bad cavity. If you do not use a tray-based tooth whitening system, you run the chance of having irregular or spotty consequences.
OTC tooth whitening products can in principle come up with the identical tooth whitening effect as a visit to a dentist office, but with a decreased concentration of the peroxide (5% - 10%), and over a longer time period. This is partially true, but omits the fact that dentists employ a laser tooth whitening system as well as bleach, something unavailable with OTC products.
The ADA Seal of Acceptance
The ADA guideline for a whitener requires that it not be harmful to the soft tissues of the mouth or the teeth, and that a whitener can effectively whiten teeth. What a person ought to know regarding the ADA seal of acceptance is that no OTC product has as of yet attained this coveted designation. There are varying levels of worth to all these whitening systems. This is an area that the U.S. FDA does not get involved. At any rate, the American Dental Association (ADA) does set guidelines for tooth whitening products. Only certain tray-based dentist-dispensed products have the ADA Seal. In all the at-home tooth whiteners that have received the ADA Seal, the active ingredient is a 10% carbamide peroxide solution.
Tooth Whitening Toothpaste
The most simple tooth whitening method is tooth whitening toothpaste (which is a mix of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda). If you just want some uncomplicated maintenance of prior tooth whitening, then this is the way to go. However, if the difficulty is more deep rooted, then further tooth whitening systems might be looked into.
Take Home Tray Whitening
Through a take home tooth whitening tray system, which the patient can perform at home, the dentist makes an impression for a model of the patient’s teeth. Subsequently, a perfect fitting bleach tray is fitted from this impression. Finally, a bleaching gel is prescribed by the dentist. At home, the bleaching gel is placed in the bleaching tray by the patient and the tray is subsequently worn for one to two hours at home at a convenient time by the tooth whitening patient. Due to the fact that the bleaching tray is so custom fitted, this allows the bleaching gel to stay in contact with the teeth surface. In fact, this is the most significant aspect of the bleaching process and is the rationale why tray based bleaching systems have been so successful. This is perhaps the most cost effective method of tooth whitening now out there.
An OTC kit is similar to the take home whitening tray fitted at the dentist’s office, but in this case, you are completely on your own. You must thoroughly follow all the instructions. This technique has been successful, but you should be careful. This system is not recommended by the ADA.
Dentist-supervised laser tooth whitening
Judged against to OTC products, dentists usually use a higher concentration of bleaching compound with a laser tooth whitening system like Britesmile® or Zoom® tooth whitening. With a laser whitening process, the precisely defined light frequency combined with a proprietary bleaching chemical produces remarkably amplified whitening effects. With a procedure like Zoom® tooth whitening, a special bright laser light is shone on the teeth whitening gel for an hour. Laser light energy creates energy which causes chemical reactions that lead to the tooth whitening. The majority of people do a Zoom® tooth whitening once every six months.
A comparison of peroxide concentrations in tooth whitening
The following table will provide the reader a thorough understanding of the differing strengths of peroxides utilized in the several whitening systems.
| Application |
Agent |
Professional/OTC |
Concentration |
| In Office "power bleaching" |
hydrogen peroxide
carbamide peroxide |
dentist
dentist |
15%-38%
35% |
| Night-time tray bleaching |
carbamide peroxide
hydrogen peroxide |
dentist
dentist |
10%-22%
6-9.5% |
| whitening strips |
hydrogen peroxide
hydrogen peroxide |
OTC
dentist |
5.3%-10%
6.5%-14%
|
| paint on gels |
carbamide peroxide
hydrogen peroxide |
OTC
OTC
|
18%
19% |
A comparison of all the tooth whitening systems
In the following table, we make an attempt to summarize the relative effectiveness, prices, and benefits of the various tooth whitening systems.
| Method |
Effectiveness |
Length of results |
Treatment Duration |
Side Effects |
Tooth Type |
Cost |
| Whitening strips |
Whitens teeth slightly, might leave "lines" |
1 year |
7-14 days |
Minimally sensitive teeth/gums |
Slightly yellow teeth |
$15 |
| Brush on whitening gels |
Somewhat better than regular toothpaste |
Several weeks |
7-14 days |
Bad breath |
Slightly yellow teeth |
$3-$5 |
| OTC gels |
Improves with higher peroxide levels |
1 year |
1-3 weeks |
Sensitive teeth/gums |
Moderately yellow to dark teeth |
$10 |
| Bleaching done in dentist's office |
Great for yellow teeth |
3 yrs |
1-2 mos. |
Sensitive teeth/gums |
Extremely dark teeth, which require professional evaluation |
$300-$1000 |
| Dentist supervised gel application |
Great for yellow teeth |
3 years |
3-6 wks |
Sensitive teeth/gums |
Dark teeth, which needs a dentist-supervised evaluation |
$300-$500 |
| Crowns |
Very effective for one tooth |
10-15 years |
1 month |
feeling of tightness |
Single tooth is decayed or broken |
$600-$3000 |
| Veneers |
Very effective for just one tooth |
10-15 years |
3-4 weeks |
feeling of tightness |
Single tooth needs straightening |
$500-$1200 |
| Bonding |
Very effective for just one tooth |
5-10 years |
1-2 weeks |
Rare allergies |
Single tooth needs minor reshaping |
$300-$700 |
Three Main Approaches to Tooth Whitening
In the face of the perplexing array of dentist and over the counter (OTC) products, there are basically simply three (3) approaches to whitening one’s teeth:
- Dental in-office bleaching
- Self-applied night-time bleaching using a tailored tray or a polyethylene strip
- Individual administered whitening using OTC bleaching products
There is nothing intrinsically good or deficient regarding any of these three basic techniques - each system could yield top notch outcomes. The key to the best outcomes in tooth whitening is the whitening agent delivery technique. In all the tooth whitening methods, the tooth bleaching gel is kept in place by a method of delivery. This is unquestionably needed to keep the gel in contact with the surface of the tooth. You just can’t put a bleaching agent on your teeth without a good delivery system and expect it to work.
Conclusion
Whatever tooth whitening system you prefer, always seek the advice of your dentist and follow in detail all instructions. Analyze your situation. Only if you are looking for a little whitening of your teeth, then contemplate an OTC tooth whitening system. Provided that you particularly seek a magnificent bright white smile, then your sole choice is a cosmetic dentist.
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